1780. Etat. 71. "Goldsmith had long a visionary project, that some time or other when his circumstances should be easier, he would go to Aleppo, in order to acquire a knowledge, as far as might be, of any arts peculiar to the East, and introduce them into Britain. When this was talked of in Dr. Johnson's company, he said, Of all men Goldsmith is the most unfit to go out upon such an enquiry; for he is utterly ignorant of such arts as we already possess, and consequently could not know what would be accessions to our present stock of mechanical knowledge. Sir, he would bring home a grinding-barrow, which you see in every street in London, and think that he had furnished a wonderful improvement." Greek, Sir, (said he) is like lace; every man gets as much of it as he can." 6 "When Lord Charles Hay, after his return from America, was preparing his defence to be offered to the Court-Martial which he had demanded, having heard Mr. Langton as high in expressions of admiration of Johnson, as he usually was, he requested that Dr. Johnson might be introduced to him; and Mr. Langton having mentioned it to Johnson, he very kindly and readily agreed; and being presented by Mr. Langton to his Lordship, while under arrest, he saw him several times; upon one of which occasions Lord Charles read to him what he had prepared, which Johnson signified his approbation of, saying, 'It is a very good soldierly defence.' Johnson said thing so cheerful! It was the funeral occasion, and probably the solemnity of the strain, that produced the plaintive effect here mentioned." BURNEY.] • [It should be remembered, that this was said twenty-five or thirty years ago, when lace was very generally worn. Malone.] that he had advised his Lordship, that as it was in vain to contend with those who were in possession of power, if they would offer him the rank of LieutenantGeneral, and a government, it would be better judged to desist from urging his complaints. It is well known that his Lordship died before the sentence was made known." "Johnson one day gave high praise to Dr. Bentley's verses' in Dodsley's Collection, which he re 7 Dr. Johnson, in his Life of Cowley, says, that these are 66 the only English verses which Bentley is known to have written." I shall here insert them, and hope my readers will apply them. "Who strives to mount Parnassus' hill, "Who Nature's treasures would explore, "Must high as lofty Newton soar, "Must stoop as delving Woodward low. "Who studies ancient laws and rites, "Who travels in religious jars, " (Truth mixt with errour, shades with rays,) "Like Whiston, wanting pyx or stars, "In ocean wide or sinks or strays. "But grant, our hero's hope long toil "All sciences, all arts his spoil, "Yet what reward, or what renown? 1780. Etat. 71. 6 1780. cited with his usual energy. Dr. Adam Smith, who was present, observed in his decisive professorial manner, Very well,-Very well.' Johnson, however added, Yes, they are very well, Sir; but you may observe in what manner they are well. They are the forcible verses of a man of a strong mind, but not accustomed to write verse; for there is some uncouthness in the expression."8 "Envy, innate in vulgar souls, "Envy steps in and stops his rise; "He lives inglorious or in want, "To college and old books confin'd; "Instead of learn'd, he's call'd pedant, "Dunces advanc'd, he's left behind; "Yet left content, a genuine Stoick he, "Great without patron, rich without South Sea." [A different, and probably a more accurate copy of these spirited verses is to be found in " The Grove, or a Collection of Original Poems and Translations," &c. 1721. In this miscellany the last stanza, which in Dodsley's copy is unquestionably uncouth, is thus exhibited: "Inglorious or by wants inthrall'd, "To college and old books confin'd, J. BOSWELL.] 8 The difference between Johnson and Smith is apparent even in this slight instance. Smith was a man of extraordinary application, and had his mind crowded with all manner of subjects; but the force, acuteness, and vivacity of Johnson were not to be found there. He had book-making so much in his thoughts, and "Drinking tea one day at Garrick's with Mr. Langton, he was questioned if he was not somewhat of a heretick as to Shakspeare; said Garrick, 'I doubt he is a little of an infidel.'-' Sir, (said Johnson) I will stand by the lines I have written on Shakspeare in my Prologue at the opening of your Theatre.' Mr. Langton suggested, that in the line And panting Time toil'd after him in vain ;' Johnson might have had in his eye the passage in the 'Tempest,' where Prospero says of Miranda, Johnson said nothing. Garrick then ventured to observe, 'I do not think that the happiest line in the praise of Shakspeare.' Johnson exclaimed (smiling,) 'Prosaical rogues! next time I write, I'll make both time and space pant."" was so chary of what might be turned to account in that way, that he once said to Sir Joshua Reynolds, that he made it a rule when in company, never to talk of what he understood. Beauclerk had for a short time a pretty high opinion of Smith's conversation. Garrick, after listening to him for a while, as to one of whom his expectations had been raised, turned slyly to a friend, and whispered him, "What say you to this?-ch? flabby, I think." 9 I am sorry to see in the " Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh," Vol. II. "An Essay on the Character of Hamlet," written, I should suppose, by a very young man, though called "Reverend;" who speaks with presumptuous petulance of the first literary character of his age. Amidst a cloudy confusion of words, (which hath of late too often passed in Scotland for Metaphysicks,) he thus ventures to criticise one of the noblest lines in our lan Ætat. 71. 1780. Etat. 71. "It is well known that there was formerly a rude custom for those who were sailing upon the Thames, to accost each other as they passed, in the most abusive language they could invent, generally, however, with as much satirical humour as they were capable of producing. Addison gives a specimen of this ribaldry, in Number 383 of The Spectator,' when Sir Roger de Coverly and he are going to Springgarden. Johnson was once eminently successful in this species of contest; a fellow having attacked him with some coarse raillery, Johnson answered him thus, Sir, your wife, under pretence of keeping a bawdyhouse, is a receiver of stolen goods.' One evening when he and Mr. Burke and Mr. Langton were in company together, and the admirable scolding of Timon of Athens was mentioned, this instance of Johnson's was quoted, and thought to have at least equal excellence. "As Johnson always allowed the extraordinary talents of Mr. Burke, so Mr. Burke was fully sensible of the wonderful powers of Johnson. Mr. Langton recollects having passed an evening with both of them, when Mr. Burke repeatedly entered upon topicks which it was evident he would have illustrated with extensive knowledge and richness of expression; guage:- "Dr. Johnson has remarked, that time toiled after him in vain.' But I should apprehend, that this is entirely to mistake the character. Time toils after every great man, as well as after Shakspeare. The workings of an ordinary mind keep pace, indeed, with time; they move no faster; they have their beginning, their middle, and their end; but superiour natures can reduce these into a point. They do not, indeed, suppress them; but they suspend, or they lock them up in the breast." The learned Society, under whose sanction such gabble is ushered into the world, would do well to offer a premium to any one who will discover its meaning. |